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Created/dedicated as per personal communication with Annette Meredith, September 27, 2012
Updated as per James P. Tuttle's The Hawk Moths of North America, September 27, 2012
Updated as per BAMONA, September 27, 2012
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Chatham County, North Carolina
Sphingidae
Enyo luugubris, Siler City, Chatham County, NC,
courtesy of Annette Meredith, September 2012.
This page is inspired by and dedicated to
Annette Meredith who sent me images and sighting of Enyo lugubris
nectaring at jewelweed in her yard in Siler City,
Chatham County, North Carolina, September, 2012.
Annette writes, "I came across your page while trying to ID some moths that have been feeding on a patch of jewelweed near my back porch at dusk.
They really love the orange flowers of the jewelweed, but I'm wondering if the fact that I also have a large moonflower vine growing there is what
attracted them initially (although I haven't seen them feed at
any of the large, white flowers). They look exactly like tiny hummingbirds in flight and hover and whizz around just like them; they even hum!
"I hope you can help identify this moth. Thanks!"
I reply, "Hi Annette,
"Very busy, sorry for delayed response.
"Your moth is one of the Sphingidae, same family as Hyles lineata, but a different species, Enyo lugubris.
"I wish permission to document your sighting by posting the image, credited to you, on an appropriate webpage. Please provide the approximate date
and location at least to state and county level.
"Thanks for thinking of me."
Subsequently, Annette also provides this image of Hemaris diffinis.
Hemaris diffinis nectaring at dragonflower, Siler City, North Carolina,
courtesy of Annette Meredith.
I suspect Annette has many other Sphingidae visiting her flowers, but most of them are flying under cover of darkness.
Thirty-six Sphingidae species are listed for North Carolina on the
U.S.G.S. website (now BAMONA). Not all of the species are reported or anticipated
in Chatham County
(None are reported in Chatham County on BAMONA as of September 27, 2012). It is
hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help
you quickly identify the moths you are likely to encounter.
A "WO" after the species name indicates that
I have no confirmed reports of this species in Chatham County, but I
(William Oehlke) expect that this moth is present or
might be present.
A "BAMONA"
indicates the moth is reported on the USGS website and/or in
Lepidoptera of North America, #1. Distribution of Silkmoths
(Saturniidae) and Hawkmoths (Sphingidae)
of Eastern North America,
an excellent little booklet available through Paul Opler.
Please help me develop this list with improved, documented accuracy
by sending sightings (species, date, location), preferably with an
electronic image, via email to
Bill Oehlke.
Please also forward your sightings to BAMONA, an excellent on-line resource.
Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Agrius cingulata,
WO Pink-spotted hawkmoth,
stray
This species is a strong migrant and adults nectar from
deep-throated flowers including moonflower (Calonyction aculeatum),
morning glory (Convolvulus), honey suckle (Lonicera)
and petunia (Petunia species).
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Ceratomia amyntor
WO,
the Elm Sphinx or Four-horned Sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is brown with dark brown and white markings including a white costal area near the wing base, dark streaks along the veins,
and a white spot in the cell.
Larvae feed on Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), and
cherry (Prunus).
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The upperside of the forewing is yellowish brown with no white markings, but there are indistinct black lines and dashes. The cell spot is gray with a black outline. The larvae feed in large groups and are much more
spectacular than the moths. Catalpa is the larval host.
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The upperside of the forewing is pale brownish gray with wavy black
and white lines and a black-outlined white cell spot. The upperside
of the hindwing is gray with diffuse darker bands.
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The upperside of the forewing is dark brown with a dusting of white
scales. Some moths have patches of reddish or yellowish brown on the
wings.
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The upperside is of the forewing is gray with two
(sometimes one or three) black dashes near the wing center; other
markings are usually diffuse. The upperside of the hindwing is a
uniform brown-gray.
If you've got pines, this species is likely present.
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Lintneria eremitus WO, the
Hermit Sphinx:
The upperside of the forewing is gray-brown with wavy lines, black
dashes, and one or two small white spots near the center of the
costa. The upperside of the hindwing is black with two white bands
and a triangular black patch at the base. Note the golden hair on the
thorax.
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The upperside of forewing is gray to grayish brown with a black line
running from the middle of the costa to the middle of the outer
margin; the line may be broken near the margin. There is a splash of
brown around the cell spot.
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I suspect if you grow tomatoes, you are likely to encounter
Manduca quinquemaculata.
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Look for three large yellow spots
on each side of the abdomen. The upperside of the forewing is
yellowish brown to deep chocolate brown with a dusting of white
scales and zigzagged black and white lines.
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If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered Manduca sexta
in the larval stage.
Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant.
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| The upperside of the forewing is gray with indistinct black and
white markings. There is a series of black dashes
from the base to the tip, and a small white cell spot.
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Sphinx chersis
WO, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx
Larval hosts are ash,
lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen.
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We have them
on P.E.I., but I do not see them nearly as frequently
as I see the other Sphingidae.
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| The upperside of the forewing ranges from brown with
black borders through brownish gray with paler borders to pale gray
with no borders. Dashes, submarginal line, and cell spot are usually
weak.
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The lower forewings are predominantly brownish-yellow with a fairly
wide dark bar along the inner margin. At rest the wings hug the body,
giving the moth a long slender look.
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Smerinthini Tribe:
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The adults are also highly variable; sometimes wings of an individual
may be all one color or may have several colors, ranging from pale to
dark brown, and may have a white or pink tinge. Patterns range from
faint to pronounced.
See the file for the female; she is different.
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Paonias astylus flies from March-September in Florida and from
April-September in Louisiana. There is one brood northward from
June-August.
This appears to be an uncommon species.
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Named for the dull grey-blue spot (minus dark pupil) in the hindwing,
this moth has a wide distribution in the eastern United States.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported
as far south as Florida.
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Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide
distribution and is probably present in Craven County.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported
as far south as Florida.
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This moth is widely distributed and fairly common.
Along the East Coast, it flies from P.E.I. to Florida.
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Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini tribe:
See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish
the next three species.
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The body and wings are dark brown. The forewing has a large black
patch covering most of the outer half of the wing. There is a pale
tan cell spot (dark inner pupil), and a fairly straight median line
to the inside of the cell spot.
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Enyo luugubris, Siler City, courtesy of Annette Meredith, September 2012.
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Hemaris thysbe
WO, the Hummingbird Clearwing
It is not difficult to see why many gardeners would mistake an
Hemaris thysbe moth for a small hummingbird as it hovers,
sipping nectar from flowers through a long feeding tube.
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Hemaris diffinis
AM, the
Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth
Adults mimic bumblebees and are quite variable. The wings are basically clear, with dark brown to
brownish-orange veins, bases and edges. The thorax is golden-brown to
dark greenish-brown. The abdomen tends to be dark (black) with 1-2
yellow segments before the tip.
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Hemaris diffinis, Siler City, Annette Meredith.
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Hemaris gracilis WO, the
Slender Clearwing or Graceful Clearwing
This day-flying moth is less common and has not been recorded in
Virginia, but has been seen in southern N.J. and
in eastern South Carolina and Florida. unlikely
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Philampelini tribe:
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Larvae get large and feed on grape vines and Virginia creeper.
Note the differences between this moth and the Pandorus Sphinx.
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Eumorpha fasciatus
WO, the Banded Sphinx
The upperside of the moth is dark pinkish brown. Each forewing has a
lighter brown band along the costa, and sharp pinkish white bands and
streaks. Larvae feed upon primrose-willow, Ludwigia (water primrose)
and other plants in the evening primrose family.
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Eumorpha intermedia
WO, the Intermediate Sphinx
The Intermediate Sphinx Moth, (Eumorpha intermedia), (Wing span: 3 9/16 - 3 7/8 inches (9 - 9.8 cm)), flies in lower austral and subtropical lowlands in North Carolina, Florida,
Mississippi, Louisiana, and South Texas. unlikely
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If you have Grape or Virginia Creeper nearby, then you probably have
this species.
I often get asked to identify larvae from areas not
previously reported.
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Macroglossini tribe:
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This day flier is widely distributed. If you have Virginia Creeper, you
probably have the Nessus Sphinx. Two bright, distinct, narrow yellow
bands are often visible on the abdomen.
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The lower wings of this hawkmoth are a solid brownish-orange,
matching the body colour.
You will often see this species listed as Darapsa pholus,
especially in older literature.
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Darapsa myron WO, the Virginia Creeper Sphinx or the Grapevine Sphinx
If you have the
foodplants indicated in the common names, you probably have this
species nearby. The lower wings are orange.
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If you have hydrangea growing near a stream, then you might have the
Hydrangea Sphinx.
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The moth's outer margin of the forewing is deeply scalloped.
The upperside is light brown with dark brown markings.
There is a small black and white spot near the tip.
Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and Virginia creeper
(Parthenocissus) all serve as larval hosts.
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Hyles lineata
WO, the White-lined Sphinx
This species has
strong migrating tendancies from much further south.
There are records from New Hampshire and Maine. |
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This moth is very much under reported across the United States. It
is a rapid day flier so is probably not in too many collections.
Grape is a popular larval host.
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This moth is much more common to the south. It is a strong migrant,
however, and does establish itself in Wake County, at least
periodically.
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Enjoy some of nature's wonderments, giant silk moth cocoons.
These cocoons are for sale winter and fall. Beautiful Saturniidae moths will emerge the following spring and summer.
Read Actias luna rearing article.
Additional online help available.
Eggs of many North American species are offered during the spring and summer. Occasionally
summer Actias luna and summer Antheraea polyphemus cocoons are available. Shipping to US destinations is done
from with in the US.
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